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Published: October 20th 2010
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b.b. batik
led to this 'real' artist by a 'local' ex-pat...this guy makes beautiful batik. some of the most vibrant colours i saw the entire trip were hidden away in his studio. OK, oops.
as i begin to gear up for my return to Sri Lanka, i realised i never posted my final blog.
so, here it be - if my oh-so-insightful insights change, i'll let ya' know. enjoy the pics...
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so,
in the land of
ayurvedic medicine -
the land where I was hoping to spring for one more
'diagnosis' (imbalances, blockages, problems with stuck chi...etc etc)
and...
one more 'prognosis' (no chance, body heals itself, good friggin' luck...etc etc)
and...
maybe getting another energy healer (my last one threw that treatment in for free since I bought a pair of nifty genie pants from her on 6th ave just south of houston street)...
well
.
.
.
yours truly walked out of western-style sri lankan hospital with her hands not full of tinctures and herbs and mice tails and everything nice tales...but instead, almost the full
ROYGBIV of little pills.
one for this, one against that.
of course, the doctor tried to make me take 1 of each while in his office (which, was not even a stall tactic, since I had already declined his generous offer of sex)...but I argued and
you know how in the movies...
you see the overcrowded train, with people hanging onto the open doorways as it cascades down breathtakingly-placed tracks? yeah well, i was lucky to find a spot just a few steps in from the door. holding on for dear life for 3 hours. with the occasional gasp for the beauty, not the pain in my whitened knuckles. only took the hit I needed, cipro. which I had with me of course...but his was about 1/20th of the price...
so dear Sigrun, <
> - I shoulda taken the schnapps with me! nasty little colony of organisms I got me...
* the incredibly scary and frustrating side of it can be found in my trip advisory reviews about low-down greedy, insensitive, unsensible hotels. 😉
* the incredibly pleasant and generous side of it can also be found in my trip advisory reviews. 😊
the experience of being seriously ill, alone, with english not really being a common language, but perhaps a common alphabet...well, it showed me the best and worst samples of sri lankans.
just like in any land, right?
so, here are some general insights...
I don't have any deep thoughts to share on sri lankan culture, exactly...and since it's mixed up between buddhists, hindus, and some christians and muslims (can't find me my jewish husband here!)...well, it's hard to make generalities.
overall - my impression of sri lankans has been that they are relaxed, casual, serene. somewhat friendly. and pretty open.
though, who can say if poli-art
for weeks i felt mischievious just looking at the strange marking i'd find on roads, rocks, ceilings, sides of cattle. come to find out, it's just short-hand for political candidates. this boddhi leaf, number 4. go vote! this is culture or genetics?
and how could/ why would we ever tell the difference, anyways (Sasha!)?
….
I can tell you men cook as much as women. and there are actually more male chefs in the country (hearsay).
I can tell you that either sri lanka is way ahead in their official UN quality of life standards - or just hide their poverty well.
I can tell you that while ill, it was all men who helped me. of every age. no hidden intentions(except that pervo doctor). but ooooooooooh, how I longed for the loving gaze and warm bosom of an african woman. the women here barely paid me attention.
I can tell you one man even brought me some special oil from his room to rub on my head. which, he did. (and even in my stupor, I teased him about whether it was the product he has already tried to recruit me into being his german representative for: emulsifying wax. it wasn't. but at that point, I wouldn't have cared.)
I can tell you that being illiterate is an embarrassment.
I can tell you most people seem to like i gone done it agin
....got myself invited off the street and into a wedding! these guys were nice enough to pose for me. the best men. who i say, get the way better special day costume! it's a particular dress for Kandians. candycandy! their country well-enough, and think the war a distant thing. with the exception of one tuk-tuk driver in trincomalee (the former tamil tiger stronghold) - who said sri lanka is only war. hm.
I can tell you I think i've only seen one sexual tourist (australian dude in his 60s with two young 'lankan dudes. I wonder if they demand new shoes and handbags like the senegalese young thangs'?)
I can tell you, that I consistently leave my belongings out of sight. laptop as I run to the toilet. camera on a seat next to me. laptop in my unattended bookbag. cash in the hotel room. I know some of these things are plain dumb, but I have no sense of eyes on me. sorry to say, I would never, ever, ever be even close to lax about this in west africa. i'd like to rationalize it, by saying that people here are just not that desperately poor...everyone seems to be getting on alright...even in the distant villages (20 kilometers from bottled water), the kids look healthy...
I can tell you I don't hear drums, I don't hear singing (even one tea estate anthem sung sounded more are you kidding me?
...and i thought germany had good health care. note the word FREE here. apparently, the government subsidises all ayurvedic. while we here on the continent pay at least 60 euros a pop a visit. harumph. like a dismal sunday hymn). I don't see dancing. there's not music in the air. nor joy....
and oh, how i miss this and need this! ....the absence is loud and it makes me miss afrika even more -
I will share you my mirage:
...walking out of my resorty room, day 1 (before the food poisoning), I thought, for the first time, I heard drums. several small ones. yes...yes....and close-by!
...my body drifted towards then, a smile creeping across my face. the sun breaking through the morning haze....I was about to discover sri lankans' secret musical world at 7am - all alone - no other stupid tourist in sight!
we'd share beats.
we'd share steps.
they'd teach me folk tunes.
we'd make music together...i was already spinning like a dancing dervish...
what did I find?
the early morning cleaning man rolling a hefty garbage can down a cobble path.
ho-hum.
-------------------
so, folks, happy autumn. and while full of german insights and soundbytes and schokobites, i'll post again post-'lanka.
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